Green living digest

Green living digest is a news service on vehicular pollution based on news clippings selected from leading Indian newspapers and newsmagazine.

It also highlights the key developments from South Asian countries. The months witnessed lots of action and developments on the green building front in India.

AHAM and Efficiency Organizations Seek Recognition of Benefits of Smart Appliances from ENERGY STAR
Washington, D.C. (January 18, 2011): The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) and efficiency organizations including the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) have submitted a petition to the ENERGY STAR program to recognize the benefits of smart appliances and jump start the smart grid. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) estimates that implementing smart grid technologies could reduce electricity use by more than four percent annually by 2030. Smart appliances can have an even more profound impact on reducing expensive peak demand.

The petition urges the ENERGY STAR program to incorporate a five percent credit to the energy performance level required to meet ENERGY STAR eligibility criteria for smart grid-enabled appliances as soon as possible. AHAM and efficiency organizations agree that the incorporation of this incentive for smart grid-enabled appliances will increase the deployment of these products across the country.

Energy Efficiency Tax Incentives: Changes in Store for 2011
Washington, D.C. - Last month, President Obama signed into law a tax package that contains modifications and extensions to energy efficiency tax incentives for homeowners, home builders, and appliance manufacturers. Information on all of these energy efficiency tax incentives are accessible on the Tax Incentives Assistance Project (TIAP) Web site so that consumers and businesses can take full advantage of changed federal tax credits for energy-saving technologies and practices. In most cases, the credits are available for the very top efficiency products, typically levels more stringent than will qualify for ENERGY STAR®. For refrigerators, the incentives are $150 for a refrigerator that uses 30% less energy than federal minimum efficiency standards and $200 for a refrigerator that uses 35% less energy.

"The International Energy Agency (IEA) published the results of its global Energy Efficiency Governance study as a summary handbook and a detailed report. This study aims to provide government officials and stakeholders with guidance on how to establish effective structures to promote energy efficiency. It highlights the importance of developing legal, institutional, funding and coordination mechanisms to support national and sub-national energy efficiency policy implementation.

“This study is extremely valuable to supporting the implementation of good energy efficiency policies around the world,” said Nobuo Tanaka, IEA Executive Director.

Information for the study was gathered from 175 energy efficiency professionals in 70 countries.

Energy Saving: People are CluelessAccording to the recent survey conducted in 34 states in USA, by Center for Research on Environmental Decisions by Earth Center Columbia, many American believes that they fairly know about the energy saving tips and severely underestimates the energy efficiency and technology adaptation. The survey cited the largest group, nearly 20 percent turning off lights as the best approach—an action that affects energy budgets relatively little. The survey interestingly shows the other aspect of household consumer behavior towards energy saving appliances and effective ways to save energy.

Green construction gaining traction in India
Bangalore, December 29 - The overgrowth of reeds at Good Earth Orchard, a colony of 60 homes in Bangalore, is actually part of a labyrinthine water-treatment system. Gallons of used water from the colony enter it every day to be pumped out for reuse a week later, good enough at least to water the bushes.

More takers for Bangalore's garbageBANGALORE: The United Kingdom became the latest entrant to join the list of foreign delegates to visit the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) after three delegates representing Green Homes Energy Private Limited made a presentation, via video-conferencing from London on Tuesday. The team proposed the idea of generating power from the garbage generated in the city.

Development of building regulations and guidelines to achieve energy efficiency in Bangalore city
Bangalore, the silicon valley of India is experiencing rapid growth in population. The power demand from the buildings that house this population is resulting in rapid growth of energy demand in the metropolis. Demand is projected to increase from 1850MW in 2010 to 3950MW in 2020.

This has thrown up the challenge of increasing energy efficiency in the city, a major part of which includes energy efficiency in its buildings. This is because buildings alone are major contributors to energy consumption and energy efficient buildings provide huge opportunities for conservation of energy resources.

ICLEI Member Barcelona awarded for School Agenda 21 Programme
The Barcelona School Agenda 21 Program (PA21E) is an initiative directed at schools, which acts in unity with the Barcelona Local Agenda 21 process. Through this program, over 300 educational communities are involved in diagnosing, providing solutions and undertaking commitments to make a more sustainable city, beginning with their immediate environment- their schools.

Verification of ENERGY STAR Label Buildings is Possible by Registered Architects
EPA is pleased to announce that the verification required for all applications for the ENERGY STAR label for commercial buildings can now be performed by Registered Architects, effective from April 1, 2010. Prior to this change, it has been a requirement that a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) verify the information in the ENERGY STAR label application, and that the PE sign and stamp the building’s Statement of Energy Performance that is generated from the Portfolio Manager tool. With this change, building owners and operators may now engage either a PE or a Registered Architect (RA) to complete the verification process. The PE or RA must possess a current license in any U.S. state, and should follow the guidance provided in the latest edition of “The Professional Engineer’s Guide to the ENERGY STAR Label for Commercial Buildings”

Victoria Introduces New Green Star Rating For Public Buildings
The Victorian building industry now has a new rating system, developed by the Green Building Council of Australia, to assess the sustainable design and development of public buildings.

Launching the rating tool at the Melbourne Convention Centre today, Planning Minister Justin Madden said the new rating system would assess the environmental attributes of new buildings such as libraries, law courts, museums, art galleries and sports stadiums.

World Green Building Special Report, September, 2010
World Green Building Week is celebrated annually to draw attention to the role of green buildings in the creation of healthier, more sustainable communities. Each year during the third week of September, green building councils and their members from around the world celebrate this occasion with events and activities that reflect the diversity of their cultures and industries. This report presents an overview of the types of events that took place in 25 countries during World Green Building Week 2010.

1.20 lakh green homes coming up in India
Sustainable development through Green Homes is a pioneering step towards environment conservation, Union Minister of State for Urban Development Prof. Saugata Roy said while inaugurating CII's National Conference on Green Homes in New Delhi recently.

S. Raghupathy, Senior Director & Head, CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre, disclosed that as many as 1.20 lakh green homes were coming up in India.

Prof. Roy said that the National Housing & Habitat Policy of India 2007 emphasised the development of alternate and novel construction materials. "Using local raw materials helps towards a better and renewable environment," he said.

Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill 2010: The new Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill 2010, passed in this year Budget and Monsoon season under the Energy Conservation Act 2001, makes a stringent penalty for violating energy consumption norms. provided for setting up of an Appellate Tribunal for Energy Conservation, which would hear appeals against orders of the adjudicating officer, central or state government orders. The Amendment Act instead provides that the Appellate Tribunal for electricity established under the Electricity Act shall be the Appellate Tribunal for the purposes of Energy Conservation Act 2001.Greener buildings, a smarter electric grid, more efficient home appliances and more advanced industrial and manufacturing processes have the potential to significantly reduce India’s electricity shortage, reduce pollution and decrease its emissions of greenhouse gases, while boosting the country’s economic output over the next eight years.

BEE Starring Buildings:The Bureau of Energy Efficiency under its Building Rating System precisely concerning to energy efficiency, have finalized the eligible buildings for star ratings. The 77 building that were finalized under the initiative program mostly includes Banks, Commercial offices in Government sector. The rating system expected to achieve 1 to 5 star in buildings. More star will show represent more energy efficiency and conservation in buildings and thus leading to energy saving in kWh/m2/ year basis

In series of green building rating system in the country with already available voluntary mechanism, CRISIL has come with its star rating system for Assets including Home’s projects. The CRISIL which is a leading organization in rating the various business assets have went a step further to initiate the rating system for buildings as productive asset by recognizing range of criteria’s such as financial management of assets function, operations, construction quality and green building features of Asset Home’s. CRISIL has also done the assessment for company’s reputation and transparency and have awarded seven star rating, the Asset Home’s managing director Mr K. A. Mohammed Salim said.

Energy-efficient buildings: the no-brainer for mitigating climate change : The COP 16 in Cancun will host the side event in Energy Efficiency and Buildings. The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership under its flagship project of Energy Efficiency Coalition will lead the discussion as a side event in COP16. The side event will spotlight the issues pertaining to energy efficiency in building design and build the consultative network for possible suggestions from renowned architects and planners including Sir. Norman Foster in

The detail guidance for performing energy efficiency at building level concerning to Building Envelope is very fundamental initiative for building developers and consumer to consider. The building envelope constitutes of maximum energy consumption through exposure to hot and cold climate in US. The basic level of standard procedure requiring for energy efficiency is mentioned in this report.

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency has empanelled the concerned Energy Efficiency Companies Limited, interested to work in the energy efficiency in the country. The Energy Service Companies also called as ESCOs, are the group of technical consultative professionals helping the building industry clients such as real estate developers, consumers, hospital and hotel owners to make their building more energy efficient.